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Kobold
This humanoid is about the size of a gnome or halfling. It has a scaly hide, a naked tail like that of a rat, and a doglike head with two small horns. Kobolds are aggressive, inward, yet industrious small humanoid creatures. They are noted for their skill at building traps and preparing ambushes, and mining. Kobolds are distantly related to dragon and are often found serving the former as minions. Physical description Kobolds are reptilian humanoids. A kobold stands between 2' and 2'6" (60cm – 75cm) tall, weighing 35 to 45 pounds (16 – 20kg). They have scaley skin between reddish brown and black in color, with burnt orange to red eyes. Their legs are sinewy and double-jointed. They have long, clawed fingers and a jaw like a crocodile.Small white or tan horns protrude from their head, and they have rat-like tails. Kobolds smell of wet dog and stagnant water. They like to wear red or orange garments, which are usually ragged. Culture Kobolds live in the dark, ideally underground or thick forest, in tribal societies. Their lairs are often overcrowded, although when one tribe becomes too numerous, it splits. The overcrowding has eliminated the concept of privacy, so kobolds sleep in communal areas. The common overcrowding leads to conflict, and two kobolds will fight to settle their differences, although these fights are not usually lethal. This leads to a lack of deep-rooted or severe divisions or grievances in kobold society. They are respectful of authority figures, and will obey diligently, particularly when their ruler is lawful evil. Language Kobolds speak a variant of Draconic and they possess an intelligence equivalent to that of the Halflings. Psychology Kobolds hold a deep mistrust for nearly all other humanoid races and have absolutely no problem defending their territory from all invaders. The ultimate goal of the kobolds is the conquest of as much land as possible so that they can ensure the survival of their tribe. They will plan and dig mines industriously, while laying cruel traps for interlopers, preferring an ambush to direct confrontation. If they must confront an enemy, they will try to overwhelm foes with sheer numbers. Among the monstrous humanoids, they are known for cunning plans, unlike many they also share those plans among the tribe. General plans and goals are common knowledge, and detailed plans are shared with all who ask to allow them to work fruitfully for the good of the tribe. Their society is influenced by their lawful evil alignment. Kobolds are happy to remain separated from the other races, and are a confident race. A kobold saying states: It is unknown how kobolds are of dragon heritage. While each kobold values its own life, the tribe comes first. They consider the success of their tribe to be their own success. Mining Kobolds often create their lairs by mining them from the rock. Mining is a meticulously planned and conducted process and nothing is left to chance. Divination magic is used to locate ore and mineral deposits. A high proportion of a kobold tribe are miners. Each family group is expected to cut its own room, the walls of which they will adorn with a pictorial history of the family. Culture The greatest art for kobolds is trapmaking. The use of invention and cunning in traps is the mark of a good trapmaker. The other art form is the pictorial representation of the tribe's history, created on the walls of a specially created room in every lair. Kobolds enjoy making jewellery from the gems and precious metals they encounter while mining. They can be possessive about their personal jewellery collections, and much effort is put into crafting beautiful jewellery, unlike other items, which are functional more than aesthetically pleasing. Where other races consider heroes to be those who enact great feats of strength or military prowess, kobold heroes are those kobolds who show great prowess in trap setting, torture and ambush. Personality Kobolds are resentful of their short stature and hate members of other races who poke fun at them for this. Most feel as though they ought to compensate for their small size in other ways, such as humour or aggression.They will naturally tend to hate larger creatures, and although they will show respect and obedience if required, they will always be looking for ways to display their resentment. Fashion Most kobolds are miners and so dress in sleeveless tunics and breeches, but kobolds enjoy dressing in more elegant clothing for festivities. This includes clothes made from silk or leather, but tailored clothes are only common among leaders. Garments are often made to compliment the wearer's eyes, which involves the use of orange or red dyes. Other garments might be dyed to demonstrate the wearer's affinity to a particular kind of dragon. Kobold garments have conservative lines, not exposing bare scales in a suggestive way. Kobolds require the dexterity in their feet too often to wear footwear, and the soles of their feet are hard enough to cope with most surfaces. Due to the amount of time kobolds spend mining, gemstones are readily available, and they use these to adorn their clothing, and to make jewellery. Religion The main deity of the kobolds is ??. The other main god worshipped by the kobolds is ??, Kobold's are also known for serving dragons and praise them as gods. A kobold tribe will present a dragon with tributes and sacrifices and whatever they think it may like, and they even see it as a great honor to be devoured by the great creatures maw. If a kobold tribe is not accepted by a dragon they might start working for it in secret. Once a tribe settles to serve a dragon, their entire existence is to serve their god in every way. Ecology Kobolds have specialized laborers, yet the majority of kobolds are miners. They possess darkvision and are particularly sensitive to bright light. Kobolds prefer exile to execution, and in some disputes, kobolds will split tribes in order to spread their kind over a larger region. Kobolds have natural tendencies towards sorcery. They can live up to 35 years,and beyond. Kobolds are similar to dragons, but while dragons have warm blood, kobolds are cold-blooded. Due to this, they are susceptible to cold, especially if it is brought on quickly. They enjoy swimming and will gather to bathe together, especially after shedding (see below). Kobolds will take a lot of care maintaining their claws and teeth, using smooth stones to polish claws and chewing roots to clean teeth. Reproduction Kobolds do not maintain monogamous relationships, and due to the importance they place on propagation, they choose mates by practical measures rather than love or other emotions. Mating is an impersonal act for kobolds. Kobolds are extremely fecund egg-layers, having the highest birth rate among humanoids. A pregnant female will lay her egg within two weeks. About one in ten pregnancies leads to two eggs. An egg needs incubation for about two months, but the newly hatched kobold can walk in just hours. The eggs are particularly sturdy, and the young inside can survive even if the egg breaks as much as fifteen days early. Kobold young mature quickly, reaching young adulthood in six years.They often lay eggs in a common nest, with specialized foster parents to watch over the eggs and wyrmlings. Diet Kobolds are omnivorous, eating plants and animals, but will not refuse to eat intelligent creatures if the opportunity presents itself. They are able to eat just about anything when the situation becomes desperate, such as bark or bone. Due to their cold-blooded nature, kobolds having spent time in a warm place need not eat for days. Shedding Like other reptiles, kobolds must shed their skin periodically. A growing kobold might do this as frequently as weekly, but a developed one usually sheds once per season. Unlike more common reptiles, such as snakes, kobolds do not shed their entire skin at once; they instead shed portions of it over a period of time. The process is usually accelerated by rubbing. Bitterleaf is often applied after shedding to help the new scales acquire strength and shine. Combat Kobolds use their cunning and sheer weight of numbers to defeat enemies. They prefer to lay traps or ambushes, and will only engage a foe directly after he has been weakened. If their numbers are diminished such that they have less than a two-to-one advantage, the group will usually flee. Kobold traps include spike pits, tripwires, flaming oil and poisonous vermin. They dislike gnomes to such an extent that they will attack on sight. Kobolds will usually loot what treasure they can carry from their defeated enemies, who are usually killed. Occasionally kobolds will enslave their foes, who then might be sold on, unless they are gnomes, which kobolds will always kill, but never eat. Enemies Kobolds, of nearly every variety, are the mortal enemies of Goblins . The two races have been fighting for food, resources and territory since they first came into contact with each other. Whenever one tribe finds another, they will cease nearly every other activity until their opposite has been killed or driven out. Goblins like nothing better than to invade a Kobold colony - their eggs make excellent eating as do the corpses of any who were killed in the attack. Kobolds, who are not the canibals or scavengers as Goblins, would like nothing better than to simply burn the goblins out. Typology Kobolds, as a form of Dragon-Type creature, are typed by their color. It is as though that which created them made them in the same color variations as found within whelplings, drakes and true Dragons. As with their Dragon-Kin, Kobolds tend to follow the same environmental favoritism as their color would dictate. *Darkscale Kobolds (Black) *Forest Kobolds (Green) *River Kobolds (Blue) *Mountain Kobolds (Red) *Northern Kobolds (White) Notable kobolds Character/Kobold Kobold Tribes Tribe/Kobold Notes Kobalds-12a.jpg Kobalds-12c.png Kobold-10.jpg Kobold-11.jpg Category:Monstrous Humanoid